Retinal vascular events and relationship to CANCER development
Paula Ortega-Toledo a), Melchor Ángel Rodríguez-Gaspar a), b, Irene Chaxiraxi Barrios-Padilla c), Cristina Mantolán-Sarmiento d), Alejandro Mario de La Paz-Estrello a), Paula Fernández-Alonso a), Onán Pérez-Hernández a), Candelaria Martín-González a), b)
a) Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Spain
b) Departamento de Medicina Interna, Dermatología y Psiquiatría, Universidad de La Laguna, Spain
c) Grado en Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de La Salud, Universidad de La Laguna, Spain
d) Servicio de Oftalmología, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Spain
Abstract
Background
Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) is a frequent and clinically relevant vascular pathology. The main risk factors are the same as systemic cardiovascular risk factors, but recently other significant risk factors have been studied. The aim of this study is to analyse the risk factors for retinal venous thrombosis and their relationship with the development of cancer.
Methods
710 patients with retinal vascular pathology were included, of whom 527 had suffered retinal venous thrombosis. Patients were followed up in internal medicine outpatient clinics between September 24, 1999, and April 30, 2022. The incidence of cancer during that time was collected.
Results
Of 527 patients evaluated, 448 (86.7 %) presented cardiovascular risk factors, and 89 (17.2 %) developed some neoplasm, being the most frequent: prostate (19.1 %), colon (16.9 %), skin (12.4 %), breast (9.0 %). Retinal venous thrombosis was related to the development of neoplasms during follow-up time (Log Rank = 5.28, p = 0.022; Breslow = 4.84, p = 0.028). Other significant factors were age above the median, smoking, HbA1c levels, and homocysteine levels higher than the median, and cholesterol and LDL-Cholesterol lower than the median. Age above the median (p < 0.001), smoking (p = 0.003) and levels of cholesterol below the median (p = 0.026) were independently related to the development of neoplasms.
Conclusions
Retinal venous thrombosis is associated with the development of cancer. Other factors related to its development have been identified. If this is confirmed, the implications for the diagnosis, control, and treatment of these patients should be evaluated.